Steam radiator valves



y 1966 G. B. KLINEFELTER 3,2

STEAM RADIATOR VALVES Filed Feb. 2, 1965 INVENTOR. 6L ENN B. K LINEFELTL'R ATTORNE Y United States Patent 3,260,458 STEAM RADIATORVALVES Glenn B. Klinefelter, Mountainside, N.J., assignor to GortonHeating Corporation, Cranford, N.J., a corporation of New York FiledFeb. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 429,842 10 Claims. (Cl. 236-66) This inventionrelates to valves for use in conjunction with steam radiators inautomatically controlling operation thereof and, particularly, thedischarge of air in maintaining the radiator in proper operation. Moreparticularly, the invention deals with a simple and economical controlvalve controlling opening and closing of the exhaust or discharge fromthe casing of the valve.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a valve structure,wherein all of the operative parts of the valve, including the means formounting the same in connection with a radiator, are mounted on andsupported by the cover of the casing of said valve, thereby simplifyingand economizing on assemblage of the operative parts and assemblage ofthe complete valve.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a valve made according to my invention, withpart of the construction broken away.

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, with parts shown inelevation; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view, generally similar to theshowing in FIG. 2, but illustrating the valve in closed position.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown acasing 5, open at one side, the open side being closed by a cover 6,having a peripheral flange 7 snugly engaging the casing and solderedthereto in the usual manner. The wall 8 of the casing has, adjacent theperiphery of the cover, an inwardly pressed annular groove 9, the lowerportion of which has an inwardly set offset 10, note FIG. 1, whichpasses over a slightly outwardly offset portion 11. The portion 11 isapertured to receive a radiator nipple 12, having a flanged inner end,as seen at 13 in FIG. 2, which seats in the recess formed by the offsetportion 11 and the flange 13 is soldered to the cover, asdiagrammatically seen at 14.

The wall 8 has, adjacent the upper portion thereof, an aperture 15 forreceiving an exhaust eyelet-type sleeve 16. The sleeve 16 projects intothe casing and has, at its inner end, a bevelled valve seat 17.

The sleeve 16 passes through an aperture in the end portion 18 of abimetal element 19, the end 18 being arranged directly upon the innersurface of the wall 8 and this end 18, together with the sleeve 16, aresoldered to the wall 8, part of this soldering being diagrammaticallyillustrated at 20 in FIG. 2.

Mounted on and movable longitudinally of the sleeve 16 is a valve sleeve21, the bore of which is larger in diameter than the outside diameter ofthe sleeve 16 to provide passage of air from the casing into the sleeve16 when the parts are in the position, as diagrammatically seen in FIG.2 of the drawing. The valve sleeve 21 has, at its outer end, anoutwardly extending rounded annular flange 22, which forms a seat for acoil spring 23, the other end of which seats upon the end 18 of theelement 19, as diagrammatically seen in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

Pressure fitted into the flanged end portion of the sleeve 21 is a ballvalve 24. This mounting can be such as to flex or expand the material ofthe sleeve 21 to a very slight extent, as diagrammatically seen in FIG.3 of the draw- 3,260,458 Patented July 12, 1966 ing. Thus, the ballvalve 24 will be permanently fixed in the sleeve 21. The valve 24 isshown in open position in FIG. 2 and in closed or seated position uponthe seat 17 in FIG. 3 of the drawing. At 26 I have shown the operatingend portion of the bimetal element 19, this end portion joining the end18 in a rounded loop 27, as noted in FIG. 2. The end portion 26 of theelement 19 serves to move the valve sleeve 21 against the action of thespring 23 in movement of the ball valve 24 from the open position ofFIG. 2 to the closed position of FIG. 3; whereas, the spring 23 reversesthis operation, in other words, moves the ball valve into open positionto allow exhaust of air through the sleeve 16 in operation of the valve.Considering FIG. 1, it will appear that the corners 28 of the end 18 ofthe bimetal element 19 engage the inner surface of the reinforcinggroove 19. This prevents any possible shifting movement of the end 18 ofthe element 19 if the air valve should 'be subjected to excessive shockin transit or be accidentally dropped.

It will be apparent, from a consideration of FIG. 2 of the drawing, thatall of the operative parts of the steam valve are mounted upon the cover6. This materially facilitates the assemblages and the solderingoperations which are required and, after these assemblages have beenmade, the cover 16 and its assembled parts, can then be mounted on andin the casing 5 in finally completing the assemblage of the valve.

In the operation of the valve, it will be understood that the roundedflange 22 facilitates free and easy action of the end portion 26 of thebimetal element in movement of the valve sleeve 21 longitudinally of thesleeve 16, as will be apparent.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A radiator valve of the character defined comprising a casing open atone side, a cover fixed to the casing and closing said open side, abimetal element mounted within the casing for actuating a valveassemblage, said assemblage comprising a fixed sleeve and a movablesleeve, said movable sleeve supporting a ball valve operatively engaginga seat at one end of the fixed sleeve, said bimetal element actuatingthe movable sleeve in one direction in movement of the ball valve intoseated position upon said fixed sleeve, means providing a vent passagebetween the fixed and movable sleeves, tensional means for actuatingsaid movable sleeve, and means for mounting the radiator valve inconnection with a steam radiator for admission of air and/or steam intothe casing of said radiator valve.

2. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein the bimetal elementand the two sleeves and associated parts are all mounted upon saidcover.

3. A radiator valve as defined in claim 2, wherein said last named meansis mounted on said cover.

4. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said ball valve has apressure engagement and coupling with said movable sleeve.

5. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable sleevehas a rounded flange end engaged by said bimetal element.

6. A radiator valve as defined in claim 5, wherein said tensional meanscomprises a coil spring, and said rounded end of the movable valveforming a seat for said spring.

7. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said last named meansincludes a threaded nipple mounted in and secured to said cover.

8. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover includesan inwardly pressed rounded circumferential portion adjacent theperiphery of the cove-r.

9. A radiator valve as defined in claim 1, wherein said bimetal elementincludes an end portion fixed to the inner surface of the upper portionof the cover, said end portion of the element being apertured to receivesaid fixed sleeve,

3 4 and actuation of the movable sleeve by said bimetal ele- ReferencesCited by the Examiner ment being through the medium of a free endportion of said element UNITED STATES PATENTS 10. A radiator valve asdefined in claim 1, wherein the means providing said vent passagecomprises a larger 5 inside diameter on the movable sleeve as comparedwith the outside diameter of said fixed sleeve.

2,400,297 5/1946 Jacobus 23662 ALDEN D. STEWART, Primary Examiner.

1. A RADIATOR VALVE OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED COMPRISING A CASING OPEN ATONE SIDE, A COVER FIXED TO THE CASING AND CLOSING SAID OPEN SIDE, ABIMETAL ELEMENT MOUNTED WITHIN THE CASING FOR ACTUATING A VALVEASSEMBLAGE, SAID ASSEMBLAGE COMPRISING A FIXED SLEEVE AND A MOVABLESLEEVE, SAID MOVABLE SLEEVE SUPPORTING A BALL VALVE OPERATIVELY ENGAGINGA SEAT AT ONE END OF THE FIXED SLEEVE, SAID BIMETAL ELEMENT ACTUATINGTHE MOVABLE SLEEVE IN ONE DIRECTION IN MOVEMENT OF THE BALL VALVE INTOSEATED POSITION UPON SAID FIXED SLEEVE, MEANS PROVIDING A VENT PASSAGEBETWEEN THE FIXED AND MOVABLE SLEEVES, TENSIONAL MEANS FOR ACTUATINGSAID MOVABLE SLEEVE, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE RADIATOR VALVE INCONNECTION WITH A STEAM RADIATOR FOR ADMISSION OF AIR AND/OR STEAM INTOTHE CASING OF SAID RADIATOR VALVE.